Viewing the message boards in:

lifting light and lifting heavy

Options
Posts: 480 Member
edited February 22 in Fitness and Exercise
i know this is going to start a fight but is it better to lift heavy or lift with more reps? ive heard both...

Welcome!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
Sign In
Register

Replies

  • Posts: 16,913 Member
    I'd imagine individual goals may be a factor.
  • Posts: 916 Member
    IDK about a fight. I lifted light for many years for speed in kick boxing. I'm now lifting heavy. I'm faster, more agile, stronger, more muscular overall and have an incredibly high metabolism now. I've only been doing it for about 6 months so this is quite the improvement fast!
  • Posts: 1,741 Member
    Depends on your goal. If you want strength, lift heavy with fewer reps. If you want muscular endurance, lift lighter weights with more reps.

    Personally, I like to mix it up with some lighter weight, higher rep days and some heavy weight, lower rep days.
  • Posts: 39,744 Member
    yes
  • Posts: 480 Member
    well my goal is to be more lean... i have big shoulders so i dont want them to be muscular i just want to lose fat... ive played sports all my life so i have muscle tone in both my legs and arms i just dont want to lift heavy and have man arms
  • Posts: 16,356 Member
    I'd imagine individual goals may be a factor.

    Ding ding ding ding. Better would be a qualifier for what your ultimate goal is. One will be better for one goal and the other will be better for another goal.
  • Posts: 16,356 Member
    well my goal is to be more lean... i have big shoulders so i dont want them to be muscular i just want to lose fat... ive played sports all my life so i have muscle tone in both my legs and arms i just dont want to lift heavy and have man arms

    You don't have man arms. You have your arms. Calorie deficit will lean you out through fat loss.
  • Posts: 16,913 Member
    well my goal is to be more lean... i have big shoulders so i dont want them to be muscular i just want to lose fat... ive played sports all my life so i have muscle tone in both my legs and arms i just dont want to lift heavy and have man arms

    Calorie deficit
  • Posts: 1,267 Member
    It depends, but I'm going to say in most circumstances, lift more weight for less reps. Then do more total sets for volume.

    If you eat at a deficit, you won't really gain any muscle, but you will lose fat.
  • Posts: 916 Member
    I lift heavy and do not have "man arms". That is a myth. Women do not bulk without steroids and hard, all-day training.
  • Posts: 9,026 Member
    i know this is going to start a fight but is it better to lift heavy or lift with more reps? ive heard both...

    they're both effective. heavy lifting (pushing your maximum) at lower reps 1-5 will make your muscles stronger. light lifting (50%-ish of you maximum) at 8-12 reps will build muscular endurance.
  • Posts: 262 Member
    i just dont want to lift heavy and have man arms

    I want to slam my head into my desk. You will not get "man arms" from lifting heavy.
  • Posts: 1,267 Member
    show previous quotes

    I want to slam my head into my desk. You will not get "man arms" from lifting heavy.


    Hell, I haven't even managed to get man arms from lifting heavy. And I'm a man.
  • Posts: 9,026 Member
    well my goal is to be more lean... i have big shoulders so i dont want them to be muscular i just want to lose fat... ive played sports all my life so i have muscle tone in both my legs and arms i just dont want to lift heavy and have man arms

    you will not wake up one morning and find that you've accidentally developed man arms.
  • Posts: 1,951 Member
    Man arms sound so manly! wish i could get them!
  • Posts: 63
    Just lift. Weights....not donuts and you will be just fine.
  • Posts: 962 Member
    I lift heavy, doing stronglifts, and in 6 weeks I've decreased my arm measurements by over an inch...so...

    ...yeah. Nix the man arms idea.
  • Posts: 383 Member
    oil-arms.jpg

    I don't know what you guys are talking about. I totally woke up like this after even *thinking* about lifting heavy.

    :|

    ETA: I don't actually know how to upload pics, I see. Ignore me. :P
    ETA2: Nevermind. I fixedificated it.
  • Posts: 17,525 Member
    well my goal is to be more lean...

    answer: calorie deficit
    i have big shoulders
    that's genetic you can't change broad shoulder structure
    so i dont want them to be muscular i just want to lose fat
    gaining muscle and losing fat are two different processes. It's difficult to both.
    it's also laughably difficult to gain muscle as a woman.
    ... ive played sports all my life
    good- that gives you a head start- least you know how to work hard!
    so i have muscle tone in both my legs and arms
    so- you don't lift- but you already have muscle tone? I'm not sure I get it.
    Secondly muscle tone really isn't a thing.
    You either have low enough body fat to see definition- or you don't.
    i just dont want to lift heavy and have man arms
    well you won't.
    it's laughable hard. I'm a bellydancer- I make money based on the fact I do not look manly... and I lift heavy 3-4 times a week. Actually technically I"m a power lifter. So power lifting bellydancer- still making it rain at my gigs ;)

    you're fine.

    life big
    eat at a calorie deficit- and get fabulous.
  • Posts: 1,715 Member
    I don't have time to do 50 reps of something.

    So..I'll lift heavy.
  • Posts: 325 Member
    dynamic days - higher reps lower weight short rests have their value - heavy days - low reps - long rests have their value - do both not on the same day
  • Posts: 1,418 Member
    ... i just dont want to lift heavy and have man arms

    Then don't shoot testosterone.
  • Posts: 5,481 Member
    i just dont want to lift heavy and have man arms

    :sad:
This discussion has been closed.

Welcome!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
Sign In
Register

Quick Links

Categories